HORIZONS MAY/JUNE 2017 | Page 48

SECTION FOUR USA FIELDS FIRST-EVER LADIES’ TEAM IN INTERNATIONAL MATCH FISHING COMPETITION PRESS BRIEFINGS 1 LOMBARD, IL (April 12, 2017) – Six American anglers to compete in Hungary in the 2017 Ladies’ World Championships While match fishing is hugely popular throughout Europe, the uniquely foreign sport and its seemingly bizarre tactics can leave even the most experienced American anglers scratching their heads. But don’t confuse something merely unfamiliar with a sport that’s in any way simple or unsophisticated. To the contrary, a quick search of the Internet or trip to the library will reveal an entirely new world of highly evolved angling complexity. Match fishing competitions find participants confined to small areas, or pegs, along a bank, with the goal of catching the heaviest combined weight of fish during a prescribed time period. Equipment and tactics are highly advanced, and vary depending on the venue and available species. Top competitors catch six fish or even more per minute over a three-hour period – all the while managing delicate tackle, adjusting presentations and continually meter- ing precise quantities of ground bait into the water to attract fish and keep them feeding. Adding to the apparent madness, competitors often employ tiny size 16-20 hooks to target fish less than four-inches long, but must be ready to battle larger fish like carp on the same gear. Six accomplished female anglers will represent the United States at the 24 th Annual Ladies’ Match Fishing World Championships in Szolnok, Hungary on August 26 and 27 of this year. The first-ever ladies team has been assembled by the United States Angling Confed- eration (USAC), a non-profit organization granted authority to host and participate in World Champion- ship Sport Fishing events through a varied network of international partnerships. The team consists of Barb Carey, Hannah Stonehouse Hudson and Kristen Monroe of Wisconsin, Elise De Villiers and Penelope Smit of Florida, and Shelly Hol- land of Minnesota. De Villiers and Smit are veteran match anglers, while Carey, Holland, Hudson, and Monroe will be competing in Hungary for the first time. “Each of these outstanding women were select- ed for the team on their unique, individual merits,” says USAC’s U.S. Freshwater Fishing Sports Director, Mike McNett. “These are all skilled anglers, and Barb, Hannah, Kristen and Shelly are also established fishing industry professionals, which is a great help when it comes to generating the industry interest and support necessary Volume 01  No. 02  | 2017